Rate your 2023 boating season

[anmut]

It's just miserable. You can never get cooled off. When you are moving it's like a hair dryer in your face.

That sounds amazing!

 

[Drag]

Terrible! Tore my roatator cuff in June, had surgery in July. Missed 3 months of boating. Considering we only have 4-5 months of boating in Wisconsin, it sucked. Considering all that, was able to get back on the boat this past week for some end of season boating!

 

[WiskyDan]

This coming weekend looks great in Wisconsin - 80 on Saturday, 79 on Sunday - sunny both days………

 

[Drag]

This coming weekend looks great in Wisconsin - 80 on Saturday, 79 on Sunday - sunny both days………

I'm hoping to get out Saturday!!!

 

[seanmclean]

This coming weekend looks great in Wisconsin - 80 on Saturday, 79 on Sunday - sunny both days………

Meanwhile on the east coast, low 60s and day 86 of rain in a row (feels like) LOL

 

[Billtex2000]

Terrible! Tore my roatator cuff in June, had surgery in July. Missed 3 months of boating. Considering we only have 4-5 months of boating in Wisconsin, it sucked. Considering all that, was able to get back on the boat this past week for some end of season boating!

I went through that in late 2018. Absolute worst time in my life!! No sleep, knots in my back from not moving my arm for 8 weeks, and developed a sinus infection from the anesthesia. Terrible!!!

 

[Drag]

I went through that in late 2018. Absolute worst time in my life!! No sleep, knots in my back from not moving my arm for 8 weeks, and developed a sinus infection from the anesthesia. Terrible!!!

I feel for you. It took me 6-7 weeks before I was sleeping more than 1-2 hours at a time.

 

[Shack]

Solid A all 2 1/4 years of ownership. I told the wife when we bought the boat that we should be happy with anything over 10 outings a year being we are an hour away from water. Trying to be realistic and not be hard on ourselves for not getting it out more. Life happens. Bought it aug 29th of 2021 and got it out 8 times (pretty good for how late!) 2022, 15 times and this year will be our 15th time this weekend. We have really enjoyed the whole boating experience.

 

[tdonoughue]

Was a rough one. Rained most of the month of June at the lake. We were able to get a few really hot and beautiful weekends in July/August, but did get drowned under a few pop-up thunderstorms...once in July, once in August. The common thread was that we lost Wolfgang (see avatar) to cancer in April. Not having him with us on the boat this Summer was rough. He loved going on long rides with the wind blowing his ears, chasing the ducks that would come to the boat mooching for food, and loved swimming in the lake. You don't realize what an important part of your lives they are until they're gone.

No proper reaction icon for this one. Sad to lose a family member like that. Wishing you peace and good memories.

 

[tdonoughue]

Oh, and to the original question, Imma gonna join @Scottintexas on the solid D. Too darn hot to go out most days. But, did get a few notable fun days out there, so not a total loss.

And, down here, the season is only half over (the other half is Oct-Apr).

 

[Jimmers]

Minnesota, Lake Superior. D+. Warm spring but I had boat lift issues and couldn’t use it. Then it cooled off and for many weekends it was windy and that means 12-18-24“ waves on the big lake. Looking forward to a hopefully better season in ‘24!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Minnesota, Lake Superior. D+. Warm spring but I had boat lift issues and couldn’t use it. Then it cooled off and for many weekends it was windy and that means 12-18-24“ waves on the big lake. Looking forward to a hopefully better season in ‘24!

Well now I understand why my daughter came to visit me from "Tiny Soft Drink" and ride my skies but the wind was pretty nasty here also.
she posted this on Facebook " Out getting my Vitamin ski with my daddy! #daddydaughter time"

 

[Joshua Miller]

Probably a solid ‘B’. No issues, but really didn’t travel much or see new places. Probably my last outing of the year today.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Today was boating day 37 for me, probably the last day this season, and I will give 2023 an A rating.. would have liked to have gotten out some more to a few different lakes but there was just too many thunderstorms and rain this year to stay in a tent. Put a lot of fish on the boat this year and saw a lot of great country and water. Hopefully I’ll be able to up the boating day count next season..

 

[Coult45]

I have to give our season a solid A here on Cross Lake. Boat was in the water from mid May to early September - 49 engine hours with no mechanical issues of any kind. Probably had it out 35 times in that four months, and my daughter and I tried our hand at wakeboarding late in the season (and can't wait to get back in the water in the spring to get back at it). The only downside was pulling the boat out early. September and October were great boating weather, for the most part. But it was a fair trade for five weeks on the road visiting good friends in Montana, Oregon, and California, while hitting at least ten national and state parks on the way out and back. So, that's 550 miles on the boat and 8,100 miles on the camper between May 20th and October 22nd.

 

[Coult45]

Btw, one of the biggest reasons it was a successful season is this forum. You lunatics are the primary reason that i know how to use my boat intelligently, and maintain my boat properly. And i really appreciate that.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Today was boating day 37 for me, probably the last day this season, and I will give 2023 an A rating.. would have liked to have gotten out some more to a few different lakes but there was just too many thunderstorms and rain this year to stay in a tent. Put a lot of fish on the boat this year and saw a lot of great country and water. Hopefully I’ll be able to up the boating day count next season..

View attachment 211527

Update, had three bonus days in December so that brought the total boating days to 40 in 2023. Hoping to get the boating days up to 60 in 2024, 72 boating days would be even better!

 

[AlpharettaRK]

Definitely an A+ for me. Picked up boat in July, put 45 hours on the engines, and that is probably less than 25% of the time spent on the boat. That was around getting lift installed and trolling motor and a few other additions to the boat. Made use of every day I could! Attached is a picture from my New Year’s eve party!

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Definitely an A+ for me. Picked up boat in July, put 45 hours on the engines, and that is probably less than 25% of the time spent on the boat. That was around getting lift installed and trolling motor and a few other additions to the boat. Made use of every day I could! Attached is a picture from my New Year’s eve party!
View attachment 213640

I hear ya on the main engine hours vs. the trolling motor…. As near as I can figure I have some where near 1300 hours on the troller and about 360 hours on the engines.

 

[I_squared_r]

Solid A. 2023 was an amazing year in every aspect. I almost sold my AR192 while being abroad, but eventually came back to USA just before 4th of July to de-winterize my boat and take it out. In a major turn of events, I saw a deal on a 2019 242 limited se in September and bought it. It is my dream boat when I first got into boats in 2018. I went back to Colombia for a month and in another random decision, I went back to the states for the holidays and ended up selling my 2014 AR192. Sold it with 305 hours and very minor problems.